Ken Rudin

The prospects of Judge Samuel Alito winning confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court will probably rest with a group of senators known as the Gang of 14. Political Editor Ken Rudin looks at the group of seven Republican and seven Democratic senators who forged a Senate deal on judicial filibusters.

For a column that often revels in the politics of the past, it's the time of year to look at the people who left us and assess the impact they made.

With President Bush's polling numbers at all-time lows and Americans still skeptical about the prospects for a satisfactory result in Iraq, the last thing the GOP needs right now is another front-page ethics scandal.

John Murtha’s stunning comments calling for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq was particularly astonishing because the veteran Pennsylvania congressman is anything but a publicity seeker or a media hog.

Several elections Tuesday are worth watching for the insights they may offer about the public mood. Political Editor Ken Rudin offers a race-by-race synopsis.

White House Counsel Harriet Miers was thrust into the national spotlight Monday when President Bush nominated her for the Supreme Court. NPR political editor Ken Rudin takes a look at the nominee.

NPR Political Editor Ken Rudin explains the political fiasco that led New York City to adopt a runoff system when no candidate receives 40 percent of the vote in a primary.

NPR's Ken Rudin answers questions about fence-jumping politicians -- and celebrities who jump into politics. And on the passing of ABC's Peter Jennings, Rudin recalls working with a fine colleague while at ABC.

As a special Independence Day weekend event, Liane Hansen tests the political trivia acumen -- and wits -- of NPR editors and NPR.org columnists Ron Elving and Ken Rudin. Find 15 additional questions online.

The confidential informant known for 30 years as "Deep Throat" is finally out of the shadows, identified as senior FBI official Mark Felt. Now a younger generation strains to understand what the fuss was all about. Ken Rudin summarizes the Watergate scandal.